LINCROFT — A former financial officer at a Roman Catholic church in Monmouth County has been charged with stealing more than half a million dollars from parish funds, authorities announced.
Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said Joseph A. Manzi, 78, of Atlantic Highlands, was charged with second-degree theft by unlawful taking after allegedly using church credit cards and cash for personal purchases while serving as director of finance, operations, and development at the Church of Saint Leo the Great in Lincroft.
Prosecutors said Manzi allegedly used church funds to pay for a Cadillac SUV, luxury clothing, home repairs, medical and dental bills, New York Yankees tickets, fishing trips, and personal insurance, among other expenses. Investigators determined more than $300,000 in unauthorized credit card purchases and over $200,000 in diverted cash between January 2019 and May 2025.
“The defendant is alleged to have used his position of trust to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from the church,” Platkin said. “This conduct was not to feed his family or for some kind of emergency, but to live a more lavish lifestyle. His alleged criminal acts will not be tolerated.”
Division of Criminal Justice Director Theresa L. Hilton said the alleged theft betrayed parishioners who donated for the good of their community. “Instead, this defendant allegedly enriched himself with church funds,” Hilton said. “He now faces criminal charges for his actions.”
The investigation began after Manzi’s employment ended in June 2025 and church staff discovered suspicious credit card activity, according to court documents.
Deputy Attorney General Conner Ouellette is prosecuting the case. Platkin thanked the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Middletown Township Police Department for assisting in the investigation.
Manzi is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. A second-degree theft conviction carries a potential sentence of five to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $150,000.
